Cancer survivor shares her story

Sue Newell, cancer survivor and UHB Charity fundraiser, shared with us her cancer journey.

"I started working for the Trust when I was 17, I worked at various hospitals before retiring just over 10 years ago. I had several posts and gained higher grades and received my 40 years long service award. I did have a break to have my son and realised when wanting to work again that I needed to update myself from typewriters to computers, so I gained a place on a Government Training Course for 12 months which I really enjoyed and this enabled me to apply for a post back at the hospital.

"My cancer journey began when I had a mammogram in January 2020 when I was 73. Up until this point I had had regular mammograms and everything was satisfactory. However on this occasion there was a problem and it showed up a small cancerous lump. Tests were done and a lumpectomy was performed and I was in and out of hospital the very same day. It was mentioned that if I had not received the mammogram, that further down the line this would have been a very different story so the earlier anything is picked up the better. At this time Covid had just appeared, but I was lucky to get my operation and radiotherapy treatment so quickly. I had booked a holiday to Rome and also the following October to Australia to see my niece but obviously all this was sadly cancelled.

"I send donations to UHB Charity and will continue to do so. My neighbour had breast cancer and she said how the care and treatment has improved and moved on so much in the 10 years since she was diagnosed, so I know how much the money helps.

"I am pleased to know that the mobile mammogram unit based in Kings Norton is also funded by UHB Charity. Women can go, and get their result straight away as it is a worrying time waiting for that result to come through. I want to tell every woman to please get regular mammograms and check yourself as it can save your life.

"I'm on tablets for five years and have yearly mammograms. I recently had a mammogram that was clear and Dr Stevens, my oncologist, has rung me regularly and I know I can always ring a breast care nurse. There is so much help and support there and they are absolutely marvellous.

"I loved every minute of my working life at the Trust but now having been a patient and seeing the NHS from another perspective, I am so grateful for all the work they do."